Driving home with the Free-Ride offspring yesterday, we heard a story on the radio that caught out attention. (The radio story discusses newly published research that’s featured on the cover of Nature this week.) When we got home, we had a chat about it. Dr. Free-Ride: What did you guys learn from that story on…

Dr. Free-Ride: I know you have some views, maybe, or questions, or something, about the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations about children, adolescents, and television. Although it’s not actually just television, it’s other screens, too. So, first off, can I get your general reaction to the fact that your pediatrician even has a view about…

I’ve been busy in the three-dimensional world, where I am in the middle of committing an unnatural act for an academic: writing out every word of a lecture. (As weird as it is, it makes the video production of that lecture easier — more about that in the fullness of time.) In between such unnatural…

Regular readers will recall that this is not the first time the Free-Ride family has discussed skepticism and trust. Dr. Free-Ride: You two are both exploring the internet more lately, and you know that one of the things people use the internet for is to sell you stuff, right? Younger offspring: Yeah. Elder offspring: Yeah.…

Last week, I noted that the Free-Ride offspring are off kicking it with The Grandparents Who Lurk But Seldom Comment, and that, to ensure that you would not have to endure a Friday without a Sprog Blog, I gave each of the sprogs a book to read during their visit with their grandparents and asked…

The Free-Ride offspring are currently summering (for a couple weeks, anyway) with The Grandparents Who Lurk But Seldom Comment. Practically, this means the conversations between Free-Ride offspring and parents over the past week have been brief and focused on how awesome day camp is. I have, however, taken steps to ensure that while I am…

Dr. Free-Ride: Do you remember what [Dr. Free-Ride’s better half] said we were going to do at some point this summer? Using the machine in our garage that Uncle Fishy and RMD left for us? Younger offspring: That ice cream machine? Dr. Free-Ride: Yeah. Younger offspring: Oh, I love that! Dr. Free-Ride: Well, what are…

Dr. Free-Ride: What was it we were going to talk about today? Elder offspring: The axolotl. Dr. Free-Ride: Can you please spell that? Elder offspring: A-X-O-L-O- … wait. A-X-O-T-O-L. Wait! A-X-O-L-O-T-O-L. I think. Dr. Free-Ride: Hmm. I shall do some checking on the spelling. And what is it? Elder offspring: It’s a salamander that has…

It’s June already, and we still have not finalized summer plans for the Free-Ride offspring. (Hey, my semester just ended, and it was only yesterday that I wrapped up the Large Administrative Task That Shall Not Be Named Now That It’s Finally Done. I’ve been a little distracted.) Anyway, given that we’re at the stage…